Clothes steamer for an aircraft cabin

Abstract

A clothes steamer for an aircraft cabin, having a closable case fixed to an internal surface of the aircraft cabin. A steam generator is fluidly coupled to the clothes holding cavity configured to selectively increase the humidity of air within the clothes holding cavity. A temperature and humidity sensors are configured to produce a first signal indicative of a temperature within the clothes holding cavity. A cold finger configured to remove water from the air within the clothes holding cavity. A controller is provided which is configured to receive temperature and the humidity sensor signals and to selectively produce at least one of a steam generator control signal and a cold finger control signal to selectively operate the steam generator and the cold finger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aircraft comprising:
 an aircraft cabin including an internal surface; and   a clothes steamer fixed to the internal surface and comprising:
 a case having a closable door, the case and closable door defining a clothes holding cavity; 
 a steam generator fluidly coupled to the clothes holding cavity, the steam generator configured to produce steam and to direct the steam into the clothes holding cavity; 
 a humidity sensor configured to provide a humidity signal indicative of the humidity within the clothes holding cavity; 
 a temperature sensor configured to produce a temperature signal indicative of the temperature within the clothes holding cavity; 
 a pressure sensor configured to provide a pressure signal indicative of an atmospheric pressure within the aircraft cabin; 
 a controller electrically coupled to the steam generator, the humidity sensor, the temperature sensor, and the pressure sensor, the controller configured to produce a steamer control signal, 
 wherein said steam generator is configured to receive the steamer control signal and to produce an amount of steam based on the steamer control signal. 
   
     
     
         2 . The aircraft according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the signal indicative of humidity, the signal indicative of temperature, the signal indicative of pressure and produce the steamer controller signal based on the values of these signals. 
     
     
         3 . The aircraft according to  claim 1 , wherein the clothes steamer further comprises a second temperature sensor configured to provide a second temperature signal indicative of a temperature of air within the aircraft cabin. 
     
     
         4 . The aircraft according to  claim 3 , wherein the clothes steamer further comprises a second humidity sensor configured to provide a second humidity signal indicative of a humidity of air within the aircraft cabin. 
     
     
         5 . The aircraft according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the second humidity signal and the second temperature signal, the controller configured to produce the steamer controller signal in response to changes in the second temperature and second humidity sensors. 
     
     
         6 . The aircraft according to  claim 1 , wherein the steam generator is fluidly coupled to a water supply and an electric power supply. 
     
     
         7 . The aircraft according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises a timer, the controller providing the steam control signal in responses to changes in an output signal from the timer. 
     
     
         8 . The aircraft according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller selectively engages the steam generator before engaging the cold finger. 
     
     
         9 . The aircraft according to  claim 1 , wherein the clothes steamer further comprises a cold finger having a water collection cavity fluidly coupled to the steam generator. 
     
     
         10 . An aircraft comprising:
 an aircraft cabin including an internal surface; and   a clothes steamer fixed to the internal surface and comprising:
 a case fixed to an internal surface of the aircraft cabin, the case having a closable door, the case and the closable door together defining a clothes holding cavity; 
 a steam generator fluidly coupled to the clothes holding cavity configured to selectively direct steam into the clothes holding cavity; 
 a first temperature sensor configured to produce a first signal indicative of a temperature within the clothes holding cavity; 
 a first humidity sensor configured to produce a first signal indicative of a humidity within the clothes holding cavity; 
 a cold finger configured to remove water from the air within the clothes holding cavity; and 
 a controller configured to receive the first signal indicative of a temperature and the first signal indicative of humidity to selectively produce at least one of a steam generator control signal and a cold finger control signal to selectively operate the steam generator and the cold finger. 
   
     
     
         11 . The aircraft according to  claim 10 , wherein the clothes steamer further comprises:
 a second temperature sensor configured to produce a second signal indicative of a temperature within the aircraft cabin; and further comprising a second humidity sensor configured to produce a second signal indicative of a humidity within the aircraft cabin; and   a pressure sensor configured to provide a pressure signal indicative of air pressure within the cabin.   
     
     
         12 . The aircraft according to  claim 11 , wherein said controller is configured to selectively disengage the steam generator when release of humid air from the clothes holding cavity into the aircraft cabin will bring the air within the aircraft cabin above a dew point within the cabin. 
     
     
         13 . The aircraft according to  claim 10 , wherein the clothes steamer further comprises a seal disposed between the closable door and the case. 
     
     
         14 . The aircraft according to  claim 10 , wherein the clothes steamer further comprises a water supply and an electrical supply coupled to the steam generator. 
     
     
         15 . The aircraft according to  claim 10 , wherein the clothes steamer further comprises fluid coupling between the cold finger and the steam generator. 
     
     
         16 . An aircraft comprising:
 an aircraft cabin including an internal surface; and   a clothes steamer fixed to the internal surface and comprising:
 a case having a closable door, the case and the closable door together define a clothes holding cavity; 
 a steam generator fluidly coupled to the clothes holding cavity configured to selectively generate steam and direct the steam into the clothes holding cavity; 
 a first temperature sensor configured to produce a first signal indicative of a temperature within the clothes holding cavity; 
 a first humidity sensor configured to produce a first signal indicative of a humidity within the clothes holding cavity; 
 a pressure sensor configured to produce a signal indicative of air pressure within the aircraft cabin; and 
 a controller configured to receive at least one of the first signal indicative of a temperature, the first signal indicative of humidity, and a signal indicative of air pressure within the aircraft cabin, and selectively produce a steam generator control signal to selectively operate the steam generator. 
   
     
     
         17 . The aircraft according to  claim 16 , wherein the clothes steamer further comprises a cold finger disposed within the clothes holding cavity, wherein the controller is configured to receive the first signal indicative of a temperature and the first signal indicative of humidity selectively produce at least one of a steam generator control signal and a cold finger control signal to selectively operate the steam generator and the cold finger. 
     
     
         18 . The aircraft according to  claim 17 , wherein the clothes steamer further comprises a second temperature sensor configured to provide a second temperature signal indicative of a temperature of air within the aircraft cabin. 
     
     
         19 . The aircraft according to  claim 18 , wherein the clothes steamer further comprises a second humidity sensor configured to provide a second humidity signal indicative of a humidity of air within the aircraft cabin. 
     
     
         20 . The aircraft according to  claim 19 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the second humidity signal and the second temperature signal, the controller configured to produce the steamer controller signal in response to changes in the second temperature and second humidity sensors.